Device as aid in shoe fitting



March 2,1943. l. E. HEWITT, JR 2,312,410

DEVICE AS AN AID IN SHOE FITTING Filed March 17, 1941 :IV .10 7 k Ifmmmmmum Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention pertains to a device for use in more readily andcorrectly providing for the proper size of foot wear for a given lengthof foot. More particularly, the invention involves a device by which todenote the correct length and fit of a shoe, especially womens shoeshaving high heels.

An object is to furnish a foot support inclined at an angle downwardlyand forwardly and whose highest or heel portion may be made tocorrespond in height to the heel-height desired to be worn by the patronwhereby the foot by bodyweight thereon will show its particularcharacteristics so that the proper size and form of shoe having thatheight of heel may be correctly chosen.

Another object is to furnish such a support with means for adjusting theheel portion thereof for any predetermined height of heel to be worn,and to include with the same a scale or scales of measurement by whichthe proper shoe size is automatically determined.

That the invention may be understood the appended drawing is providedshowing a manner of accomplishing the objects named, it beingunderstood, however, that changes may be made in the structure such asmay fall within the claims to follow.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the device, part being shown in sectiontaken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation, enlarged of a scaleboard best shown in Figure1.

Figure 5is an enlarged plan of a scale also shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 6 illustrates in perspective a shiftable stop-member shown inFigure 2.

The human foot being flexible due to its bone formation is capable bothof shrinkage and elongation. The weight of the body upon the footnaturally distributes the pressure fairly evenly throughout when thecenter of the weight is substantially directly above the foots middlelength so that the heel and the ball receive substantially the samepressure, the toes in a smaller degree also being part of such weight.This condition obtains, of course, when the foot is resting upon a flathorizontal surface. However, when the heel of the foot is raised thebody weight is shifted thereto in order to maintain balance, the foottends to shift forwardly, or to elongate, due to the named flexibility.

foot to elongate thus requiring a shoe of a length to agree with themeasurement of the foot so elongated in order that entire comfort may beaiforded, besides preventing wear occasioned by a shoe that is tooshort.

The device herein to be described is so provided, therefore, that shoesof the high heel type may have the proper fit and provide permanentcomfort.

In the figures of the drawing a supporting base member I is provided,somewhat longer than the foot to be fitted, and extending above which isa portion 2 to which, at one end, is hinged a foot-supporting part 3.Means is provided for locating the free end of the said part 3 at anydesired elevation with respect to the upper sur-' face of the portion 2.While any good manner of accomplishing this may be employed, there ishere shown, as an' example, a slotted arm 4 at each side of said part 3,each having within its slot 5 a series of projections 6 each to form astop -or retainer for a pin or stud 1 extending from said part 3. Eacharm 4 is suitably'pivoted at one extremity relative to the said base Iiso that each is free to swing in its own plane as the pins or studs 7rise or fall in adjusting the part 3.

Arising from the rear or heel extremity of the latter is an arcuateguard 8, for example, that may, when desired, receive the back of thefoot to be measured and fitted.

At the toe-end of the device the top surface of the portion 2 ispreferably furnished with markings 9 for foot size to indicate thelength of a foot at the great toe or the overall distance from the backof the heel position of such foot at the guard 8 to the toe end.

Mounted to move along opposite the scale markings 9 is a stop-member orgauge shown most clearly in Figure 6. This may comprise a block Illhaving a curved face to receive into it the end of the great toe, andhaving an extension I I to act as a, pointer in respect to the scalemarkings.

This gauge may be freely shiftable over the surface of the portion 2 orit may include a feather or fin I2 depending below it adapted to engagein a slot I2 in said portion 2 paralleling the indicated scalemeasurements, such slot lying in line with the great toe position forguiding the gauge positively.

In proper shoe fitting it is important to know the great toes length orthe distance it extends from the ball of the foot. To this end erectedWomens shoes of the high heel type cause the on the base 1, for example,is a scale-board I3 having on its vertical inner face a series ofmarkings denoting sizes, the numeral 4 of the markings lying nearest therear end of said board while 13 lies forward thereof as shown in Figure4 of the drawing. By means of this scale the fitter of a shoe maydetermine the length of the great toe and that length with respect tothe total length of the foot including said toe, and thus be guided inthe choice of shoe to fit any given foot.

Naturally, due to the weight of the. standing person whose foot is to bemeasured the foot is inclined to slide forward due to the inclinedsupport 3. To offset the tendency to thus shift the support may beprovided with acovering of sponge rubber or its equivalent in order toprovide a friction surface.

In use, the support 3 is adjusted to the height.

of the heel of the chosen type of shoe, whereupon the foot of thestanding person is placed in position. with. the heel. abutting. theguard. 8. Pol lowing this. the gauge. Ht is brought to close adjustment;at the. great toer The, reading on the scalietis then; taken asindicated by the extension or pointer ll together with the reading ofthescale on the board l3 for toe-length measured from the ball of the foot,whereupon: the attendant. is apprisedof the size of the shoe and itspecularity for that particular fitting.

With. thefoot bearing upon the device the ball thereof may be; at: thehinging point of: the portions 21 and; 3 with the heel. abutting: theguard 8 when: the testis made for the required. shoe. However, a. footof any shorter measurement may be readily accommodated without havingthe ball, thus placed since it may be evenforward. of. the hinge orrearward thereof so far as consideration. of: foot length is concerned.Since a! friction surface is provided the footwill not slip forward in.its: tipped position: but the foot homes: under imposed: Weight willchange in their relation. the overall length; That is to say, due tothestructure of. the bones and: their relation to each other the: footbecomes longer as the heel. supporting? portion isincreased in heightand angulafityi Otherwise" stated, since thefoot includes an archedbone-structure which flexes; un'der body-weight, such structure admitsof flatteningrof'the-arch of the footcausing an over-- ali' lengtheningof the same which does. not oc-- our in so marked a degree when the footrests wholly upon a horizontal surfacev where the weight bearsdirectly-downwardthrough the heel.

The: measurement; for the lengthened foot is then, taken: at. the:markings. at 9- assisted by the gauge liltif. desired, andafor any sizeof foot; Toe

and the markings at 13 are convenient in that since ready-made shoesvary in characteristics, 1. e., shorter or longer from the ball positionto toe extremity, and even in the same shoe-size, the sales-person mayobserve the ball position of the foot being fitted and thus determinemore nearly the type of shoe best suited to the given foot to the endthat the most comfort may be afforded as contrasted to the usual mannerof chance fitting often attended with much discomfortto the wearer of? ashoe.

The gauge It need not be used, of course, and the scale markings 9 maylie in position on the portion 2 directly beneath the toe position, the

; reading from the scale being taken directly at the toes end.

Further, the scale 9 may not necessarily be used even though indicated,since a measuring tape would serve the purpose of determining footlength. The same would be true with respect to toe-length; and thescale-board l3. 7

Again, while the erected scale board I3 is convenient as. described andshown the markings for such a scale might be placed upon the treadsurface of the supporting parts 3 and 2 in the same manner as in thescale 9 of the latter.

I claim: V

l-. In a device as an aidin shoe fitting, the combination of asubstantially horizontally disposed toe supporting, portion, a heelsupporting portion adjoiningat one end the said toeportion and upwardlytiltable at various angles with respect to the same from afixed pointthereat, means to support said heel portion at any given height ofinclination, a series of marks at the toe supporting portion fordenoting distances. from the rear extremity of the heel portion to-thetoe ends of a foot being fitted, and a series of marks for indicatingthe distance between the ball of said foot and the said toe ends of thefoot.

2. In a device as an aid in shoe fitting, the combination of asubstantiallyhorizontally.dis posed toe supporting portion, a heelsupporting portion adjoining at one end the said toe portion andupwardly tiltable at Various angles with respect to the same from afixed point thereat, means to support said heel portion atany givenangle of inclination as the latter; swings about said fixed point,v aseries ofmarks on the toe portion as indications of overall length ofafoot to be fitted with a shoe, and markings on: an," other part of thestructure of the device, the line of markings parallelingv the twonamedportions and lying both rearwardly and forwardly of the positionof. adjoining. of said portions;

1min" HEW" 'ITT, in;

